ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Joe Maddon knew that the Red Sox took exception to Yunel Escobar's decision to steal third base, with the Tampa Bay Rays up by five runs and two outs in the seventh inning.

That displeasure first resulted in a shouting match between Escobar and a handful of players in the Red Sox dugout, and eventually, a bench-clearing tussle on the field.

But Maddon thought the Red Sox were guilty of short memories.

"That's not even nearly as egregious as last year in the playoffs then, correct?" charged Maddon. "Correct? Last year, in the (American League Division Series) when they had an 8-2 lead in the eighth inning when (Jacoby) Ellsbury led off with the single and they stole second base and they ended up beating us 12-2 in that game.

"I think that was a little more egregious than they interpretation of tonight. I didn't take any exception when they stole on us last year in the eighth inning of a Division Series, 8-2 lead. Ellsbury on, they steal. I didn't take any. Our goal is to not permit them scoring runs. Their goal is to score runs. The whole game. It's always been the goal within the game of baseball.

"Apparently some of the guys on their bench did not like that. I really wish they would roll back the tape and look at that more specifically. You have to keep your personal vendettas, your personal prejudices, your personal judgmental components in your back pockets. Before you start screaming regarding any of that, just understand what happened just last year and also understand that in this ballpark, (five-run) leads can disappear very quickly."

The Red Sox and Rays won't have to wait long to see if there's any carryover from Sunday's on-field dispute: the Rays come to Fenway Friday for a three-game weekend series.

Sean McAdam serves as Comcast SportsNet's MLB Insider. Read more from Sean here, or follow him on Twitter or Facebook.